Prince Harry accepted damages from Splash News after the paparazzi agency captured and published pictures in January of his privately-rented Oxfordshire property, which his lawyers argued “seriously undermined” his safety.
“The duke was awarded a significant sum towards damages and legal fees, which will be put towards a donation to charity and covering the duke’s legal costs,” a spokesperson for Prince Harry said in a statement, according to the Guardian.
It’s uncertain the exact amount of the settlement.
The photos were distributed by the Times newspaper and other publications in January, and depicted the home’s living area, dining area, and bedroom, according to a statement from Prince Harry’s lawyers presented to a high court. The photos were obtained after a “helicopter flew over the home at a low altitude.”
In addition to the settlement, Splash News also issued an apology.
“We apologise to the Duke and Duchess (of Sussex) for the distress we have caused,” Splash News said in a statement.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’s official residence at the time was Kensington Palace, but the couple spent significant time at the home in Oxfordshire. Prince Harry’s attorneys said that the couple sought out the home due to its “high level of privacy.”
The couple welcomed the birth of their first son this month and now live in Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle.
